Master  Merchandising 

and 

^e  Dominaiit  Idea 


MCJUNKIN  ADVERTISING  COMPANY 


CHICAGO 


NBW  YORK 


CLBVBLAND 


TPviTttus 


HROUGH  the  merger  of  the 
Nichols-Finn  personnel  with  the 
Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company,  a 
combination  of  methods  has  been  effected 
between  two  vital  and  constructive  factors  in 
advertising. 

The  Mcjunkin  idea  always  has  emphasized 
sound  and  sane  merchandising,  with  the  ele- 
ments of  distribution  and  dealer  help  ever 
paramount. 

The  Finn  method  has  called  for  the  crystal- 
lization of  a  dominant  selling  idea,  so  that  the 
consumer  would  be  impressed  with  an  indelible 
master  thought,  as  a  sure  means  of  purchasing 
identified  merchandise. 

With  the  union  of  these  two  functions  in  the 
enlarged  Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company,  the 
manufacturer  of  a  trade-marked  article  is 
assured  a  responsive  market  along  lines  of 
wise  merchandising,  backed  by  a  method  of 
appeal  that  will  have  a  compelling  and  lasting 
effect  upon  the  minds  of  both  consumer  and 
dealer. 

(3) 


RDilliamD.^Uttnkin 


^~/f  GGRESSIVE  merchandising  and  vigor- 
Qyi,     ous  advertising  are  the  best  proof  thai 
a   manufacturer   believes   in   his    goods. 
They  are  the  best  guarantee  a  consumer 
can  have  that  the  manufacturer  will  keep  up  the 
quality.      Nowhere   is   this   better   proved   than 
through   the   success   of  trade-marked   articles. 
Where     quality     sustained     the     advertising — 
where     performance     fulfilled     the     promise  — 
fortune  followed  freely." — From  "Master  Mer- 
chandising." 

(4) 


Master  Merchandising^ 

ByWjn!J)3IfJunMii, 

'jPrestdent,  M?Junkin  2ldver Using  Company 

HE  vital  spark  of  an  advertising 
campaign  is  the  merchandising  plan 
behind  it. 

Though  a  commodity  have  great  merit — 
though  advertising  copy  be  forceful — though 
the  media  of  publicity  be  wisely  chosen — 
yet,  if  the  merchandising  plan  be  weak,  the 
entire  advertising  structure  will  fall. 

Master  merchandising  takes  up  an  article  at 
its  source,  builds  up  enthusiastic  promotion  for 
its  sale  in  the  producer's  own  organization, 
makes  sure  of  the  necessary  assistance  from 
distributor  and  retailer,  and  oils  the  mechan- 
ism that  will  move  the  merchandise  from  the 
producer  to  the  consumer  in  repeated  sales. 

There  used  to  be  a  theory  that  when  adver- 
tising started,  other  factors  could  go  on  a 
vacation.  Modern  merchandising  has  proved 
that  when  advertising  starts,  it  is  merely  ready 
to  reap  what  the  merchandising  plan  has 
prepared,  if  advertising  and  merchandising  are 
to  be  interlocked  properly. 


Frolic  S'l'jc  Master  Merchandising 


Good  publicity  is  essential.  It  is  a  part 
of  the  plan.  The  Dominant  Idea,  which 
every  campaign  should  have,  also  is  vital.  I 
shall  comment  but  briefly  on  the  Dominant 
Idea,  because  Mr.  Finn  goes  into  the  subject 
thoroughly  in  other  pages  of  this  book.  What 
I  shall  say  bears  heavily  on  the  underlying 
foundation  that  makes  the  advertising  struc- 
ture secure. 

Advertising,  after  all,  is  in  the  main  the  out- 
v^^ard  expression  of  a  business  plan  of  action. 
If  you  v^ere  w^rong  at  the  start,  you  will  not  be 
right  at  the  finish.  Hence,  the  greater  work — 
the  more  intensive  application — should  be 
conceived   behind   the   publicity. 

Proper  planning  calls  for  the  use  of  skill 
and  experience,  wisdom  and  foresight,  aggress- 
iveness with  judgment — the  co-ordination  of 
workmanlike  effort  that  makes  a  right  start 
and  therefore  a  right  finish.  The  world  war 
gave  us  a  mammoth  example  of  the  power  of 
co-ordination — of  co-operation  by  all  factors 
to  obtain  masterly  results. 

The  Department  Store 

Preceding    my    entrance     in     the     general 


The   Dominant  Idea.  Folio  S'c-Ven 


advertising  business,  I  was  fortunate  in  an 
experience  which  I  believe  was  as  unique  as 
it  has  proved  useful  to  me  and  the  clients 
of  this  company.  I  was  associated  for  many 
years  as  advertising  manager  with  three 
of  the  most  successful  general  merchandise 
stores  in  the  United  States.  I  had  the  bene- 
fit of  close-up  contact  with  three  men  who 
have  written  their  names  indelibly  on  the 
department  store  business  of  this  country. 

The  modern  department  store  after  all  is 
an  American  idea — a  Chicago  conception.  It 
is  founded  on  the  theory  of  big  purchasing 
power,  small  profit  per  article,  distribution  of 
overhead  among  many  activities  under  one 
roof,  the  saving  of  time  for  the  purchaser 
and  the  centralization  of  sales  and  merchan- 
dising effort. 

In  the  department  store,  modern  merchan- 
dising has  attained  its  utmost  scientific 
achievement.  Its  influence  has  been  felt 
throughout  the  business  world ;  it  has  been  an 
important  step  in  social  progress. 

The  properly  conducted  general  merchan- 
dise store  is  not  a  menace  to  retail  business. 


Folio   E,ight  Master  MerchandUing 


Rather  is  it  a  stimulant.  It  brings  better 
methods,  develops  better  business  men.  Re- 
tailers, large  and  small,  whether  in  general 
lines  or  in  specialties,  have  learned  much  from 
the  modern  department  store. 

'Public  Ser'Vice  an  A^^et 

The  retail  merchant,  whether  large  or  small, 
must  recognize  his  responsibility  to  the  public. 
The  public  demands  service,  and  service  means 
quality  —  both  in  merchandise  and  in  con- 
duct. Intelligent  advertising,  to  be  effective 
and  lasting,  must  be  backed  by  service.  Indeed, 
advertising  performs  the  double  function  of 
leading  the  public  to  adopt  a  manufacturer's 
high  standard  of  merchandise,  and  then  com- 
pels him  to  maintain  it  or  improve  it.  Success 
emphasizes  the  manufacturer's  responsibilty. 

Aggressive  merchandising  and  vigorous  ad- 
vertising are  the  best  proofs  that  a  manufac- 
turer believes  in  his  goods.  They  are  the  best 
guarantee  a  consumer  can  have  that  the  manu- 
facturer will  keep  up  the  quality.  Nowhere  is 
this  better  proved  than  through  the  success  of 
trade-marked    articles.      Where    quality    sus- 


The   "Dominant  Idea  Folio  J^ine 


tains  the  advertising — where  performance  ful- 
fills the  promise — fortune  follows  freely. 

Modern  merchandising,  whether  from  a  dis- 
tributor's or  dealer's  standpoint,  recognizes  the 
stability  of  trade-marked  goods.  There  yet 
remain  a  few  retailers — particularly  some  large 
ones — who  for  questionable  reasons  oppose 
certain  trade-marked  articles;  but  the  hostility 
is  ever  diminishing. 

'Putting  your  Hou^e  in  Order 

Because  our  work  is  mainly  identified  with 
it,  I  lay  particular  stress  on  the  vigorous  mer- 
chandising of  advertising.  This  means  the 
process  that  ''sells"  your  own  advertising  to 
your  own  organization — your  own  distrib- 
utors— your  own  retailers. 

When  you  come  to  analyze  advertising  and 
its  influence,  three  main  factors  are  involved. 
The  first  is  your  own  organization,  the  second 
the  distributors  and  dealers,  and  the  third  is 
the  consumer.  I  have  contended  that  the  most 
important  of  this  trio  is  your  own  organization. 
I  speak  advisedly  when  I  say  that  there  have 
been  manufacturers  in  the  past  who  projected 


Folio  Ten  Master  Merchandising 


their  advertising  to  the  consumer  after  de- 
signedly hiding  from  their  own  organization 
their  effort  in  print.  They  figured,  probably, 
that  by  a  surprise  they  would  get  co-operation 
from  their  own  employes.  What  an  utter 
fallacy ! 

Get  WorKers'  Enthu^ia^m 

The  right  way,  the  sane  way,  the  effective 
way  is  to  convince  and  arouse  the  entire 
organization — manufacturing  division  as  well 
as  the  salesmen — on  your  complete  campaign, 
including  consumer  and  dealer  efforts.  You 
may  ask:  Why  the  manufacturing  division? 
Is  there  any  easier  way  to  inspire  team-work 
in  your  own  manufacturing  organization  than 
by  taking  the  makers  of  your  products  into 
your  confidence? 

What  finer  way  to  insure  uniform  quality 
than  by  making  your  manufacturing  division 
understand  that  it  must  live  up  to  the  spirit 
and  letter — the  responsibility — of  your  ad- 
vertising? 

I  know  of  one  national  success  that  at- 
tributed a  25  per  cent  increase  in  the  quality 
of  its  merchandise  over  a  period  of  a  year,  to 


The   "Dommanf  Idea  Folio   Ele-Ven 


the  manner  in  which  it  took  the  actual  makers 
of  this  merchandise  into  executive  confidence 
on  the  proposed  advertising  activity. 

Sell  your  Otn^n  Teople 

Your  sales  organization,  to  be  sure,  must  be 
won.  Your  complete  objective  in  the  con- 
templated advertising  campaign,  the  whole 
plan  of  procedure,  including  both  dealer  and 
consumer,  must  be  laid  before  these  sales 
apostles,  who  travel  around  the  country,  con- 
tinuously preaching  to  dealers  the  money- 
making,  service-giving  quality  of  your 
product. 

The  big  central  point  to  instill  in  your 
salesmen  is  their  appreciation  of  the  Dominant 
Idea  which  every  campaign,  whether  national 
or  territorial,  should  have.  Your  sales  force 
should  become  acquainted  with  this  Dominant 
Idea,  in  order  that  they  may  gather  enthusiasm 
and  inspiration  from  your  own  belief  in  a  great 
single  master  selling  thought. 

When  your  men  are  thoroughly  saturated 
with  this  Dominant  Idea,  they  will  have  little 
difficulty  in  convincing  distributors  and  dealers 
that  your  product  has  an  identity  which  the 


Folio   Ttuet-de  Master  Merchandising 


consumer    soon    will    recognize    by    insistent 
demand  for  your  article. 

It  is  a  fundamental  fact  that  the  distributor 
and  dealer  must  be  won  over  to  the  value  of 
your  product  before  they  will  stock  up  the 
merchandise.  This  is  only  natural,  because 
distributor  and  dealer  must  be  approached,  in 
the  first  place,  from  a  human  angle.  They 
must  analyze  from  their  own  viewpoint,  based 
on  their  own  experience  and  needs. 

Hoto  to  Get  Co-Operation 

So  much  for  the  producing  division.  The 
second  division  —  which  must  be  reached 
through  your  merchandising  of  the  advertis- 
ing— is  obviously  the  trade — distributor  and 
dealer.  This  approach  must  be  accomplished 
vigorously  through  the  two  forms — personal 
contact  and  literature. 

In  some  cases  the  bulk  of  this  effort,  par- 
ticularly in  the  less  populated  sections  of  the 
country,  may  be  accomplished  with  the  help 
of  Uncle  Sam's  mail.  Your  message,  how- 
ever, either  orally  or  in  printed  form,  or  in 
both  ways,  must  travel  this  necessary  road  to 
trade  appreciation  and  action. 


The  "Dominani  Idea  ratio   Thirteen 


How  much  more  economical  your  consumer 
effort  will  be  if  the  trade  is  thoroughly  in- 
formed in  advance  of  your  sales  drive!  Not 
only  may  distributor  and  dealer  be  informed 
of  the  compelling  features  of  your  product, 
but,  what  is  more  important,  be  wisely  stocked 
up  in  advance  of  the  creation  of  the  consumer 
demand. 

If  your  business  is  of  a  nature  that  requires 
the  maintenance  of  branches,  or  if  your  sales- 
men cover  the  principal  merchandising  zones 
of  the  country,  your  literature  to  dealers  will 
be  strengthened  by  the  help  of  personal  con- 
tact. These  preparations  smooth  the  path  for 
all  factors — they  make  a  commodity  easy  to 
sell,  easy  to  buy.  I  am  almost  tempted  to  say 
that  with  the  first  two  factors  properly  pre- 
pared, the  results  of  your  consumer  effort 
should  be  almost  automatic. 

MerchandUing  ^echrUlened 

Linked  with  the  history  of  the  successful 
merchandising  of  an  advertiser's  campaign  is 
the  history  of  improved  merchandise.  Most 
of  us  do  not  need  to  strain  our  memories  to 
recall    the    time    when    men's    ready-to-wear 


Folio   Fourteen  Master  Merchandising 


clothing  was  mostly  of  a  comic  valentine 
variety — when  to  wear  "hand-me-downs"  was 
a  mark  not  only  of  depleted  purse,  but  also  of 
willingness  to  bear  the  jests  of  men  who  wore 
custom-made  garments. 

Ready-to-wear  clothes  were  then  on  a  par 
with  imitation  diamonds.  They  were  apparel 
proclaiming  a  man  to  his  disparagement. 

Then  came  a  revolutionary  campaign  of 
clothing  merchandising  and  publicity,  and  in 
the  same  step  came  quality  clothes.  Today, 
bankers— high-salaried  men,  professional  men 
— do  not  blush  to  wear  well  known  brands  of 
ready-tailored  clothes. 

Take  food  products.  When  food  publicity 
was  in  its  infancy,  adulteration  ran  riot.  Then 
the  housewife  was  not  to  be  blamed  for  making 
her  own  bread,  putting  up  her  own  preserves, 
for  cooking  on  Saturday  the  family  supply  of 
baked  beans.  Pure  food  advertising  came,  and 
along  with  it  came  pure  food  manufacture — the 
sanitary  package,  sustained  quality. 

Canners  and  preservers  adopted  the  most 
rigorous  standards.  They  insisted  on  materials 
that  were  above  suspicion.     Their  processes 


The   Dominant  Idea  Koh'o  IFifieen 

were  right,  their  products  cleanly  made.  And 
American  women  responded  gladly.  Food 
advertising  that  invited  inspection  to  prove 
purity,  made  all  this  possible. 

One  *R,ound  of  Ad*derii^ing 

Go  through  the  whole  list  of  every-day 
household,  personal  and  business  necessities 
or  luxuries.  You  will  find  that  in  every  hour 
of  your  daily  life,  and  in  almost  every  human 
action,  you  make  use  of  advertised  things. 
You  prove  that  your  life  is  guided  by  merchan- 
dising and  advertising,  whether  or  not  you 
have  ever  realized  it  before. 

You  buy  crackers  in  packages,  or  wear 
rubber  heels,  or  shave  with  a  safety  razor, 
or  use  certain  advertised  toilet  accessories. 
You  probably  eat  an  advertised  cereal  for 
breakfast;  drop  advertised  sugar  in  your  adver- 
tised coffee;  spread,  with  advertised  butter, 
toast  made  of  advertised  bread.  Your  home  is 
decorated  with  advertised  paint  products. 

Advertised  books  are  in  your  advertised 
bookcase.  You  hunt  with  advertised  guns  and 
fire  advertised  shells;  fish  with  advertised 
rods  and  reels.     From  cellar  to  garret  your 


Folio  ^i^ieen  Master  Merchandising 


house  is  supplied  with  advertised,  labor-saving, 
comfort-bringing  appliances.  You  smoke  ad- 
vertised tobacco,  chew^  advertised  gum.  You 
w^itness  advertised  amusements  at  advertised 
theaters.  It's  one  round  of  advertised  articles, 
from  the  cradle  on.  Advertising  permeates 
and  delightfully  flavors  your  whole  life. 

Territorial  Merchandising 

After  all,  human  nature  is  pretty  much  the 
same  regardless  of  latitude  and  longitude.  The 
Icelander  and  the  Patagonian  have  much  in 
common.  And  anything  that  is  really  worth 
selling  has  sales  opportunities  almost  every- 
where. True,  the  pink  sporting  sheets  at  Gus 
the  Barber's  have  been  declared  poor  media 
for  the  sale  of  religious  literature,  and  palm 
beach  suits  will  merchandise  but  slowly  in 
Alaska. 

Which  is  all  by  way  of  saying  that  Reggie 
VanAlstyne  of  Broadway  and  Timothy  Tassel 
of  Winnemac,  Indiana,  are  brothers  beneath 
the  skin,  and  that  Palmyra  Prim  of  Boston 
and  Gertie  Orangeblossom  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia, have  tastes  and  ambitions  more  alike 
than  you  might  surmise. 


The  Dominant  Idea  F^oUo  Seventeen 

So  the  merchandiser  of  a  new  product,  at 
the  inception  of  a  new  selling  campaign,  can 
secure  pretty  convincing  testimony  as  to  how 
a  proposition  is  going  to  take  hold  in  other 
places  when  he  tries  it  out  in  his  own.  Of 
course,  there  are  exceptions.  There  are  in- 
stances where  the  verdict  of  one  section  of 
the  country  reverses  the  judgment  of  another 
section.  But  they  are  rare.  Given  a  fair 
measure  of  average  national  prosperity,  and  a 
staple,  or  even  a  novelty,  that  sells  in  one  part 
of  the  country  can  be  made  to  sell  with  equal 
success  in  the  extreme  opposite  corner. 

So,  new  merchandising — the  modern  way  of 
minimizing  all  risk  of  loss,  of  providing  in  ad- 
vance for  every  difficulty — is  most  scientific  in 
according  with  unquestioned  experience.  It  is 
territorial  merchandising. 

Territorial  merchandising — by  which  is 
meant  covering  the  country  from  a  compara- 
tively small  beginning,  increasing  the  expendi- 
ture and  dimensions  as  methods  are  proved 
right  and  experience  guides  the  way — is  the 
wisest  way  to  build  success. 


Kotio  E^ighteen  Master  Merchandising 


The  JLone  Method 

Many  a  potential  captain  of  industry,  leading 
a  concern  which  has  in  it  every  proved  quality 
of  success,  hesitates  because  he  is  not  in  a  posi- 
tion to  go  aggressively  after  the  national  mar- 
ket. He  stands  still,  feeling  incapable  or  un- 
able to  go  forward,  simply  because  he  has  not 
the  financial  strength  and  confidence  of  his 
longer  established  and  more  heavily  financed 
competitors.  Perhaps  he  contemplates  spread- 
ing merchandising  effort  thinly  over  all  the 
country,  when  he  might  make  a  worth-while 
showing  in  certain  groups,  such  as  Illinois, 
Indiana,  and  Wisconsin,  New  York  and  New 
England,  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania. 

This  centralization  of  effort,  in  one  part  of 
the  country  at  a  time,  permits  mobilizing  your 
sales  force,  concentrating  the  best  fighting 
men,  centering  the  advertising  fire  in  a  single 
spot  where  you  may  accurately  gauge  results. 

It  means  dominating  the  situation — estab- 
lishing a  permanent  advantage  where  it  will 
do  the  most  good.  It  means  gaining  a  wonder- 
fully valuable,  first-hand  idea  of  the  market — 
an  intimate  study  of  distribution  channels.    It 


The  'Dommant  Idea  F^otio  /Nineteen 


means  opportunity  to  correct  mistakes  before 
they  become  insurmountable  or  costly.  It 
means  normal  growth — symmetrical  develop- 
ment. It  means  rapid  progress  by  going  at  a 
reasonable  and  sure  gait  in  the  right  direction. 
It  does  not  require  a  fortune  to  launch  a 
Territorial  Advertising-Merchandising  Cam- 
paign. In  large  part,  a  campaign  of  this  kind 
can  be  made  to  finance  itself.  It  is  the  best 
way  I  know  of  to  start  the  conquest  of  the 
American  market  on  limited  capital. 

Te rrito rial  'Bu tiding 

Modern  Merchandising  is  business  building. 
This  being  true,  there  is  a  valuable  lesson  in 
studying  the  way  houses,  bridges,  walls  and 
sky-scrapers  are  built — stone  upon  stone,  piece 
upon  piece,  beam  upon  beam.  No  sane  builder 
would  try  to  cast  the  framework  of  the  Wool- 
worth  Building  in  a  single  mould.  It  would 
make  for  neither  economy  in  production  nor 
efficiency  in  structure. 

In  just  the  same  way  the  most  scientific — the 
safest — method  of  covering  America  with  your 
merchandising  propaganda  is  to  take  the 
country  section  by  section,  broadening  as  dis- 


Folio   Tt£fenty  Mazier  Merchandising 


tribution  broadens  —  focusing  the  efforts  of 
your  business  on  each  restricted  area  you  are 
working,  getting  on  the  firing  line  yourself,  ad- 
vertising with  sufficient  force  and  concentra- 
tion to  dominate  each  local  situation — to  raise 
your  product  to  a  place  of  eminence — to  hold 
it  there  in  the  public  eye  for  a  sufficient  length 
of  time  to  create  a  lasting  impression — in  brief, 
to  conquer  a  territory  and  conquer  it  right — 
to  intrench  your  name  and  your  brand  unfor- 
gettably with  the  trade  as  well  as  with  the 
customer. 

That  is  the  kind  of  merchandising  which 
means  lasting,  profitable  trade — the  kind  of 
merchandising  that  any  healthful  business  can 
do.  If  the  methods  be  correct — the  work  thor- 
oughly done — you  can  thus  build  up  a  system 
of  profitable  trade  units  that  in  time  will  cover 
the  country. 

The  Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company 
strongly  supports  national  merchandising  and 
publicity  when  they  are  the  result  of  logical, 
complete  territorial  development. 

This  is  frequently  not  as  spectacular  a  cam- 
paign as  a  vivid  advertising  flash  across  the 


The  "Dominant  Idea  Wotio   Ttueniy-one 

horizon — but  flashes  carry  little  heat,  are  not 
sustained  in  warming  good  will  toward 
prestige,     quality,     service     and     satisfaction. 

Our  United  States  is  a  co-ordination  of  many 
states,  each  prosperous  and  self-governing.  A 
great  national  business — the  outgrowth  of 
many  years'  service,  or  of  a  much  shorter 
period  of  properly  conducted  Dominant  Ter- 
ritorial Merchandising — invariably  represents 
the  welding  together  of  territorial  units. 

We  have  formulated  a  plan  of  Territorial 
Merchandising  for  our  present  and  prospective 
advertising  clients  on  a  zone  basis  which 
recommends  itself  because  of  its  very  practical 
utility,  sanity  and  economy. 

Our  Iri'Vitation 

Without  obligation  to  you,  we  shall  be  glad 
to  go  into  this  suggestion  in  detail,  either  in 
your  offices  or  at  ours. 

As  Mr.  Finn  aptly  says  on  Page  Thirty — 
"Let  us  give  your  proposition  an  honest 
analysis — uncolored  by  hope — unflavored  by 
ambition." 


Joseph'^ffnnn 

\  /       paign 

^- — ^         estint 


BELIEVE  that  the  advertisement  which 
does  not  contain  a  sane  and  substantial 
reason  for  purchase  is  a  waste  of  space, 
money  and  effort.  I  believe  the  cam- 
which  is  not  based  upon  a  distinct,  inter- 
g  central  idea,  falls  short  of  its  possi- 
bilities, I  believe  that  every  sales  effort — 
every  bit  of  constructive  energy — should  be 
built  consistently  around  this  one  Dominant 
Idea — this  one  selling  feature  that  overtops 
all  the  rest." — From  "The  Dominant  Idea." 

(22) 


The  Dominant  Idea 

By  Joseph  H.  Finn 

Vice  -l?resident,M9Junkin  Advertising  Cotnpaziy 

^^^^»^0  begin  with,  a  good  way  of  pre- 
a  senting  a  subject  is  through  a  simile 

*^  or  definition.    It  is  like  "playing  up 

the  news"  in  a  big  event  of  interest  to  news- 
paper readers.  The  parallel  is  permissible  be- 
cause, after  all,  advertising,  in  a  broad  sense, 
is  the  impelling  news  about  merchandise. 

The  Dominant  Idea  in  advertising  and 
merchandising,  therefore,  is  the  one  distinctive 
major  selling  feature  of  a  business,  as  free  as 
possible  of  confusing  minors. 

The  reader's  mind  instinctively  accepts  the 
element  of  appeal  or  rejects  the  dull  and  dis- 
tracting, and  does  it  in  a  flash.  But  it  is  the 
responsibility  of  the  advertiser,  through  the 
right  presentation  of  the  printed  word,  to  make 
it  easy  to  eliminate  non-essentials  so  that  the 
prospective  purchaser  may  get  the  message  in- 
stantly in  headline  and  illustration. 

Of  course,  arousing  interest  in  this  way  is 
an  incentive  for  the  reader  to  proceed  in  the 
consideration  of  the  advertiser's  complete  mes- 


(23) 


Folio   Ttifeniy-_four  Master  Merchandising 

sage,  which  should  be  an  amplification  or 
extended  proof  of  the  one  distinctive  selling 
feature. 

The  most  indifferent  reader  has  a  feeling  not 
far  removed  from  gratitude  when  a  proposition 
is  offered  so  simply  that  it  may  be  grasped  in 
a  moment — with  its  major  selling  point  stand- 
ing out  "as  big  as  a  courthouse."  Dominant 
Idea  campaigns  travel  the  line  of  least 
resistance. 

The  Dominant  Idea  is  in  effect  therefore 
thes  traigh  t  lin  ebe  tween  twopoin  ts — the  one 
the  manufacturer,  and  the  other  the  consumer. 

Dominance  /V  'Public  Ser'Vice 

Dominance  is  not  a  term  of  reproach ;  rather 
it  breathes  of  the  spirit  of  public  service. 
America  is  Dominant  today  in  the  world's 
affairs  because  of  her  extraordinary  altruism — 
her  spirit  of  justice  for  nations  large  and  small 
and  her  appreciation  of  the  responsibility  in 
which  she  stands  for  the  good  of  the  entire 
world.  Her  Dominance  is  accepted  by  all  up- 
right nations,  because  it  means  a  new  light  to 
them — the  light  of  liberty  shining  all  over  the 
world. 


The  Dominant  Idea  Folio   Tti}enty-_fi'de 


The  thought  of  Dominance  in  advertising  is 
not  new.  It  is  as  old  as  the  impulse  that 
prompts  publicity.  Its  adaptation,  however,  is 
of  recent  evolution. 

The  Dominant  spirit  in  business  is  the  elixir 
of  success.  Dominance  is  the  difference  be- 
tween the  minnows  and  whales  of  Commerce. 
It  is  the  difference  between  diminishing  fore- 
sight and  expanding  vision.  To  Dominate — 
to  be  the  representative  leader  in  your  field — 
to  hold  first  place  on  quality  and  superior  gen- 
eralship— that  is  a  winning  which  is  real. 

That  all  cannot  Dominate  is  as  needless  a 
counterthought  as  that  universal  piety  would 
crowd  celestial  streets.  All  cannot  Dominate 
— no  fear,  all  will  not.  This  message,  then,  is 
written  to  those  who,  forsaking  all  compro- 
mise, are  frankly  out  to  Dominate — who  hold 
the  highest  individual  success,  not  merely  as 
a  profit  goal — but  who  feel  the  reward  in  genu- 
ine accomplishment — in  earned  supremacy. 

I  would  dedicate  this  message  to  those  typi- 
cal American  executives  whose  open  minds, 
broad  vision,  tireless  initiative  and  commercial 
courage  make  their   Dominance  deserved.     I 


Folio  Ttejeniy-^ijc  Master  MerchandUing 


believe  there  are  times  when  over-caution  and 
ultra-conservatism  are  just  as  surely  enemies 
of  real  progress  as  are  plunging  v^aste  and 
reckless  bravado. 

This  message  is  particularly  for  the  man  or 
executive  who  does  not  scorn  those  Seven 
League  Boots  of  business — live  advertising, 
vigorous  merchandising. 

The  ^eal  'Bi^  Audience 

Most  minds  are  single  track.  This  is  not 
said  in  disparagement  of  that  mental  type.  A 
single  track  mind  may  stand  for  a  certain 
straightaway  sureness  that  is  most  commend- 
able. Single  track  minds — and  the  Lord,  as 
Lincoln  said,  shows  his  love  for  them  in 
quantity  production — do  not  take  kindly  to 
complex  presentation.  And  even  with  multiple- 
track  minds,  it  is  mighty  hard  nowadays  to 
get  the  right-of-way  for  an  extended  train  of 
arguments. 

The  world  has  accelerated  a  thousand  per 
cent  in  the  last  five  years.  The  automobile, 
the  airplane,  wireless  telegraphy,  are  typical 
of  the  speeding-up  process.  Modern  living, 
modern  thinking,  modern  buying  are  all  on 


The   -Pominanl  Idea  Folio   Tbuentv-se-Ven 


accelerated  schedules.    It  is  the  winning  sales 
method  that  keeps  pace. 

This  brings  us  up  to  the  Mcjunkin  declara- 
tion of  faith— that  there  is  one  quality  in  ad- 
vertising and  merchandising  more  important 
than  any  other.  In  golf,  some  call  it  "direc- 
tion"; in  baseball,  it  is  hitting  the  sphere  to  a 
place  where  nobody  can  stop  it;  in  rifle  prac- 
tice, it  is  forgetting  every  ring  but  the  bull's 
eye;  in  business-getting,  it  is  having  one 
definite  central  objective  and  devoting  every 
ounce  of  power,  every  grain  of  skill,  every 
particle  of  patience  and  persistence  to  reaching 
this  one  goal.  That,  in  the  Mcjunkin  belief, 
points  the  way  to  one  hundred  per  cent  sales 
results.  And  it  explains  why,  in  our  organiza- 
tion, unusual  stress  is  laid  upon  the  Dominant 
Idea. 

Half  of  the  unsuccessful  sales  and  advertis- 
mg  campaigns  have,  in  our  opinion,  a  common 
cause  for  failure— lack  of  direction,  scattered 
hitting,  shooting  around  the  mark.  Half  of 
the  sales  efforts  that  finish  lamely,  do  so  be- 
cause they  "get  off  on  the  wrong  foot"  at  the 
start. 


rdio  Twenty-eight  Master  Merchandising 


Eiffeci  of  'Poor  Copy 

How  many  salesmen  do  you  know  who  have 
gone  to  the  well  of  inspiration  and  come  away 
thirsty?  They  merely  talk — and  get  nowhere. 
Just  as  many  salesmen  have  talked  themselves 
out  of  orders  as  have  talked  themselves  into 
them.  Just  as  many  advertisements  have 
argued  themselves  out  of  definite  results  as 
have  put  selling  success  "over  the  plate." 

I  believe  that  the  advertisement  which  does 
not  contain  a  sane  and  substantial  reason  for 
purchase  is  a  waste  of  space,  money  and  effort. 
I  believe  the  campaign  which  is  not  based  upon 
a  distinct,  interesting  central  idea,  falls  short  of 
its  possibilities.  I  believe  that  every  sales 
effort,  every  bit  of  constructive  energy,  should 
be  built  consistently  around  this  one  Dominant 
Idea — this  one  selling  feature  that  overtops  all 
the  rest.  I  believe,  of  course,  in  presenting  a 
complete  case — -but  every  statement  and  argu- 
ment should  be  in  support  of  the  master 
thought — should  give  its  meaning  still  more 
weight. 

Mcjunkin  is  the  advertising  agency  of  the 
Dominant  Idea. 


The  Dominant  Idea  Folio   Tti/enfy-nine 


With  us  this  thought  is  not  a  mere  "selHng 
point"  for  the  marketing  of  our  own  service. 
It  is  one  of  the  two  caisons  on  which  our 
whole  organization  is  founded.  The  other  is 
Master  Merchandising.  We  know  the  value  of 
a  single  great  appeal— not  theoretically,  but 
practically.  We  have  proved  it  for  client  after 
client. 

Identifytn^  the  'Dominant  Idea 

Our  first  thoughts  in  connection  with  any 
campaign  are:  Wherein  lies  the  Dominant 
selling  argument?  What  quality  belongs  to 
the  product  or  proposition  that  differentiates 
it  from  every  other?  And  upon  the  correct 
answers  to  these  questions  are  built  a  cam- 
paign which  has  the  greatest  acceleration— 
the  least  resistance  from  the  start. 

The  old  query,  "Does  advertising  pay?"  is 
just  about  as  reasonable  as  would  be  the  ques- 
tion, "Does  salesmanship  sell?" 

All  turns  on  what  is  back  of  the  advertising 
and  salesmanship:  whether  the  sales  truth  is 
big  enough — whether  it  is  presented  clearly, 
forcefully  and  free  from  distracting  minors. 

And    please    remember    this    fundamental 


^olio  Thirty  Master  Merchandising 


fact — that  advertising  will  never  take  the  place 
of  uniformly  good  merchandise;  advertising 
may  make  the  first  sale,  but  never  the  second. 
The  product  must  do  that. 

And  Dominant  Idea  advertising  and  mer- 
chandising do  pay — because  there  is  no  division 
of  effort — no  scattering  of  shot. 

There  /V  a  ^eal  Te^i 

The  surest  test  of  the  possibilities  for  de- 
velopment in  a  commercial  undertaking,  is  this 
Dominant  Idea  test.  Conducted  in  conference 
and  co-operation  with  the  client  and  his  sell- 
ing organization,  it  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing phases  in  the  development  of  a  campaign. 
Such  a  test  gives  your  proposition  an  honest 
analysis — uncolored  by  hope — unflavored  by 
ambition. 

We  enumerate  the  qualities  of  your  propo- 
sition point  by  point.  Judge  it  for  utility,  for 
novelty,  for  labor-saving  value,  for  economy  in 
use,  for  comfort,  for  luxury,  for  efficiency,  for 
public  service — as  the  case  may  be.  We  study 
the  market — every  channel  of  distribution.  We 
get  a  composite  photograph  of  the  audience. 
We  weigh  up  the  strength  of  your  competi- 


The  -Dominant  Idea  Fotio  Thirty-one 


tion — giving  your  competitors  full  credit  for 
quality  merchandise,  brains  and  initiative. 

Thus  the  Mcjunkin  approach  in  an  advertis- 
ing-merchandising campaign  means  getting 
truly  into  the  very  heart  of  the  business  reasons 
for  existence — the  human-nature  reaching 
power  of  its  most  irresistible  appeal.  Whether 
you  make  a  food,  a  garment,  a  tractor,  a  motor 
car,  a  cream  separator  or  a  shoe,  whether  you 
sell  the  joys  of  transportation  or  the  satisfac- 
tion of  wearing  beautiful  clothes,  your  initial 
problem  is  the  same. 

That  time-honored  counter-remark,  "But  my 
business  is  different"  with  which  advertisers 
have  been  answering  advertising  salesmen 
from  the  year  one,  is  a  clue  to  your  own  best 
opportunity.  It  is  because  your  business  is 
different  that  you  will  be  able  to  differentiate 
it  in  the  public  mind  by  reason  of  a  Dominant 
Idea  campaign. 

The  business  which  was  originated  solely  to 
imitate  some  other  business — which  follows 
slavishly  in  some  leader's  steps — which  has  no 
personality  of  its  own — cannot  use  Dominant 


Folio   Thirty-ttuo  Master  Merchandising 

Idea  plans  with  profit.     A  business  without 
individuality  gets  nowhere  nowadays. 

F^ij>cing  the  'Dominant  Idea 

The  Dominant  Idea  in  any  business  is  quite 
as  likely  to  be  below  the  surface  as  above  it. 
It  is  quite  as  likely  to  be  linked  up  with  an 
after-development  in  a  business  as  to  be  born 
with  the  proposition.  It  may  be  a  totally  ''out- 
side" thought,  which  has  a  new  application  to 
an  old  business.  The  important  considerations 
are  that  it  has  news  value;  it  must  be  a  dis- 
tinguishing thought — but  it  must  fall  in  with 
the  natural  thought  habits  of  humanity  in  such 
a  way  as  to  become  inseparably  associated  with 
this  individual  proposition. 

And  most  of  all,  this  Dominant  Idea  must 
furnish  a  real  identity  that  will  lift  such  a  busi- 
ness or  product  out  of  the  commonplace  so  that 
either  or  both  will  be  recognized  because  of  the 
presentation  of  and  adherence  to  the  Dominant 
Idea. 

Hectic  stories  have  been  written  playing  up 
advertising  as  a  sort  of  a  magic  "wishing  ring," 
the  mere  existence  of  which  in  connection  with 
a  business  proposition  insures  success.     Be- 


The   Dominant  Idea  rdio   Thirty-three 


cause  there  is  so  much  romance  and  imagina- 
tion in  connection  with  the  advertising  subject, 
there  has  been  much  misunderstanding  and 
misinterpretation  of  its  power.  This  sort  of 
nonsense  comprehended  in  the  term  "wizard- 
ry," has  been  a  boomerang  which  has  worked  a 
positive  injury  to  legitimate  advertising. 

Dominant  Advertising  is  simplicity  itself. 
Its  obvious  truthfulness  is  one  of  the  biggest 
assurances  possible  to  the  interest  of  the  con- 
sumer. Do  not  confuse  the  Dominant  Idea 
with  another  kind  of  Dominance — a  dominance 
of  bulk  alone.  Its  cost  is  terrific  compared  to 
results  won.  It  is  not  comparable  in  perma- 
nent value  to  the  adequate,  determined  and 
consistent  presentation  of  the  Dominant  Idea. 

Dominant   Idea   campaigns   are   essentially 
founded  on  a   basis  of   sane  investment — no 
gambling,  no  wading  out  beyond  your  depth, 
no  long  "wait  to  see  if  the  results  come  in." 
Hot&}  the  Tlan  Applies 

The  campaign  of  the  Ajax  Rubber  Company 
has  attracted  wide-spread  attention  because  of 
the  forceful  presentation  of  the  Dominant  Idea. 
An  investigation   into   the  method   of  manu- 


Folio   Thirty-J^our  Mazier  Merchandising 


facture  of  Ajax  automobile  tires  and  the  prod- 
uct itself  revealed  a  distinctive  mechanical 
feature  not  to  be  found  in  any  other  tire.  Be- 
neath the  tread  of  the  tire,  on  either  side,  is 
a  corrugation  of  rubber,  supporting  and  rein- 
forcing the  tread. 

Investigation  proved  that  this  essential — an 
exclusive  Ajax  feature — gave  the  Ajax  tire 
more  tread  on  the  road,  and  likev^ise  supplied 
more  rubber  where  it  should  be.  Co-operating 
with  the  Ajax  organization,  we  originated  the 
term  "Ajax  Shoulders  of  Strength,"  which  has 
served  as  a  mark  of  identity  for  this  popular 
product. 

"Potifer  of  Reiteration 

The  public  has  become  convinced  that  the 
remarkably  long  life  of  Ajax  tires  may  be  at- 
tributed not  only  to  the  excellent  raw  product 
used,  the  skill  of  select  workmen,  the  ad- 
vantage of  design,  but  also  in  this  structural 
betterment  obvious  to  the  eye,  which  we 
christened  "Ajax  Shoulders  of  Strength." 

By  continuously  calling  attention  through 
illustration,  headline  and  copy,  to  this  identi- 
fying characteristic,  the  term  "Shoulders  of 


The  Domfnani   Idea  F^olio   Thiriy-fi-Ve 


Strength''  has  been  written  into  the  automo- 
bile tire  industry.  Thousands  of  people  have 
been  protected  from  the  evils  of  substitution 
by  insisting  upon  a  tire  built  in  with  "Shoulders 
of  Strength,"  and  because  they  refused  to  be 
im.posed  upon,  they  secured  what  they  were 
after  from  an  Ajax  dealer. 

Due  to  a  false  interpretation  of  the  conserva- 
tion movement,  the  dairy  interests  of  the  coun- 
try suffered  keenly.  The  Food  Administration 
saw  the  wisdom  of  encouraging  a  generous 
consumption  of  milk  products  from  the  vital 
standpoint  of  the  nation's  health,  both  today 
and  tomorrow. 

The  Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company,  after 
an  exhaustive  analysis,  found  that  the  Dom- 
inant Idea  was  embodied  in  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  distinguished  authority  on  nutri- 
tion, Prof.  McCuUom  of  John  Hopkins  Uni- 
versity, and  the  watchword  "at  least  a  quart 
of  milk  per  day  per  person"  has  become  the 
Dominant  appeal  in  behalf  of  America's  great- 
est industry. 

Changing   Trend  of  Tra-Vel 

Prior    to    the    entry    of    America    into    the 


Fotio   Thirty-^ijc  Mailer  Merchandising 


world's  war,  a  great  western  railroad — the 
most  powerful  transportation  and  colonization 
factor  in  the  west  and  northwest — sought  more 
business  from  residents  of  the  east,  who  took 
greater  interest  in  foreign  sight-seeing  than 
the  attractions  of  their  own  country. 

At  the  time  of  the  origin  of  this  Dominant 
Idea,  all  Europe  was  beckoning  to  American 
tourists.  Then  "See  America  First" — a  preg- 
nant three  word  message — was  written  into 
the  language  of  the  country.  This  railroad's 
copy  coupled  patriotism  with  the  lure  of  scenic 
supremacy. 

Certain  Ideniiiy  of  'Product 

Food  is  food  and  there  seems  little  romance 
in  the  meat  line.  One  of  the  leading  Chicago 
packing  houses  has  built  up  a  reputation  for 
unusual  quality  and  unvarying  uniformity.  In 
an  analysis  to  discover  why  this  was  true,  it 
developed  that  the  products  are  given  a  master 
test  once  every  week  in  each  of  the  company's 
plants,  where  they  must  prove  their  quality  in 
comparison  with  the  best  competing  products. 

With  this  nucleus,  an  advertising  sales  cam- 
paign was  built  with  "The  Supreme  Test"  as 


The  Dominant  Idea  Fotio  Thirl y-^se-Ven 


the  Dominant  Idea.  And  it  has  been  remark- 
ably successful — largely  through  the  loyal  co- 
operation of  the  entire  selling  organization  of 
this  company,  which  leaped  into  action  with 
the  announcement  of  the  new  campaign. 

A  certain  tooth  brush  manufacturer  adver- 
tises his  product  with  the  slogan  "A  Clean 
Tooth  Never  Decays."  This  expounds  a  Domi- 
nant Idea  which  applies  equally  to  every  mod- 
ern movement  of  oral  hygiene.  Yet  because 
this  manufacturer  first  gave  advertising  ex- 
pression to  a  big  truth,  he  linked  it  with  his 
own  proposition  and  made  it  a  valuable  asset. 

The  foregoing  are  merely  instances — all  but 
one  from  our  own  experience — which  demon- 
strate the  application  of  the  Dominant  Idea 
and  its  actual  common-sense  commercial 
value. 

Troof  of  Our  K^e^utt  Record 

The  Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company  stands 
squarely  on  what  it  is  able  to  do  in  determining, 
in  collaboration  with  its  clients.  Dominant 
Sales  Ideas,  trenchant  with  human  appeal. 

We  have  built  an  organization  of  trained  ad- 


Folio  Thiriy-eight  Master  Merchandising 


vertisers  and  merchandisers,  chosen  because 
they  possess  the  Mcjunkin  spirit — because 
they  are  big  enough  to  recognize  idea  bigness. 

The  expression  of  the  Dominant  Idea  is  not 
just  a  matter  of  word  or  illustration.  It  com- 
prehends Dominant  Thought,  and  whether  it 
takes  the  form  of  a  single  dynamic  phrase,  a 
sledge  hammer  preachment  with  one  big  text, 
a  wonderful  pictorial  message,  or  a  subtle  sug- 
gestion in  salesmanship — its  force  is  no  less 
the  determining  factor  in  removing  resist- 
ance— facilitating  sales  results.  Examples  of 
Dominant  Idea  successes  are  reproduced  else- 
where in  this  book.  They  specifically  demon- 
strate the  power  of  the  master  selling  thought. 
ThU  ^ea^on,  your  ^ea^on 

The  head  of  a  certain  well  known  manufact- 
uring institution  once  told  his  salesmen  that 
no  matter  what  objection  "the  prospect"  in- 
terposed, the  best  answer  was,  "That  is  just 
the  reason  why  you  should  use  our  product." 

In  that  case  this  blanket  answer  proved  most 
effectual.  What  better  psychology,  after  all, 
than  taking  advantage  of  seeming  disad- 
vantages? 


The  T>ommant  Idea  Fotio   Thirty-nine 


It  seems  equally  true  that  whether  times  are 
good  or  bad — whether  war  clouds  overhang  or 
peace  spreads  a  benediction — whatever  turn  of 
fate  may  come — there  is  provided  a  logical 
reason  for  good,  aggressive  advertising. 

And  just  remember,  too,  what  a  successful 
American  once  said,  that  "no  one  will  ever  go 
broke  being  a  *buir  on  the  United  States."  Ad- 
vertising has  been  injured  by  the  attempt  to 
confine  its  mission  to  a  restricted  horizon. 
Advertising  is  the  greatest  modern  factor  in 
the  upbuilding  of  a  business  through  the 
creation  of  good  will  and  the  establishment 
of  identity  for  the  protection  of  manufacturer 
and  consumer  alike.  Advertising  is  a  business 
stimulant — the  most  certain  form  of  business 
insurance — an  essential  business  economy. 
Frequently  advertising  is  misunderstood. 
Those  who  would  "reform"  modern  business 
occasionally  refer  to  advertising  as  a  waste 
and  complain  that  its  cost  is  tacked  onto  that 
of  the  merchandise.  These  misguided  folk 
have  not  yet  gained  a  realization  of  what  ad- 
vertising means  as  an  economic  factor. 


Kolio  Forty  Mailer  Merchandising 


Why   Some  Ad-VeriUing  Ha^  K ailed 

The  trouble  is  that  there  have  been  too  many 
examples  of  advertising  methods  which  are 
wasteful — too  many  obvious-as-daylight  dis- 
plays of  campaigns  which  are  plainly  a  sop  to 
someone's  vanity — mere  self-glorification  with- 
out attention  to  fundamentals. 

The  Mcjunkin  Dominant  Idea  advertising 
and  selling  plans  are  simple  salesmanship,  first 
and  last.  They  are  economic  factors  not  only 
in  minimizing  sales  expense,  but  also  in 
facilitating  distribution,  eliminating  resistance, 
and  adding  power  to  every  sales  effort. 

The  Mcjunkin  way  means  organized  econ- 
omy, because  it  centralizes  effort  and  rejects 
trivial  minor  claims  for  the  titanic  wallop  of 
the  master  selling  point — the  Dominant  Idea. 


Every  MUunkin  Man  a 
Service  Man 


C^jl  ^'cJUNKIN  men  are  merchandisers 
f^  /^l  ^11-  Whether  they  are  advertisers' 
^^  representatives,  plan  men,  writers, 

artists — they  are  merchandisers  first. 

Mcjunkin  writers  have  had  broad,  practical 
experience — every  one  of  them — in  putting 
over  notable  national  successes.  They  plan, 
work  or  write  from  a  sales  angle  always. 
Their  advertisements  are  cablegrams  in  print — 
condensed  big  messages. 

The  Mcjunkin  Art  Department  includes 
associated  illustrators  of  recognized  worth — 
men  whose  work  in  oil  and  crayon,  wash  and 
ink,  have  attracted  national  attention.  Mc- 
junkin artists  are  not  artists  alone — they  are 
salesmen  with  the  brush  and  pen.  They,  too, 
realize  what  the  Dominant  Idea  means — that 
art  plays  a  most  important  part  in  its 
emphasis. 

WorKerj^   A^tl^in  ''Shirt  Slee-Vey 

There  are  no  frills  about  the  Mcjunkin  or- 


Folio  Korfy-fti/o  Master  Merc  hem  dismg 

ganization.  It  has  been  aptly  termed  "An  ad- 
vertising company  in  its  shirt  sleeves."  From 
president  to  file  boy,  the  Mcjunkin  personnel 
is  made  up  of  workers,  seeking  the  shortest 
cut  to  efficiency. 

With  the  Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company 
the  first  consideration  is  not  the  active  solicita- 
tion of  accounts,  but  rather  to  render  solid 
service  to  the  clients  we  already  have.  In  this 
way  our  business  has  grown  steadily  and 
normally. 

However,  we  are  always  ready  to  serve  an 
advertiser  with  a  quality  product  or  proposi- 
tion, who,  believes  as  we  do  in  the  Domi- 
nant Idea,  in  the  power  of  hard  hitting,  per- 
sistent, enthusiastic  salesmanship — merchan- 
dising and  marketing. 

Please  remember  with  headquarters  in  Chi- 
cago, New  York  and  Cleveland  we  are  as  close 
to  you  as  the  telephone  or  telegraph,  or,  if  you 
prefer.  Uncle  Sam's  good  old  reliable  mail 
route.  Address  any  one  of  the  three  offices, 
and  a  service  official  of  this  Company  will 
respond. 


That  60%  Plus 

What  the  Advertisers  ShouldGetBesides 
Mere  Preparation  andPlacing  ofCopij 


y^^  OPY  is  regarded  by  some  as  the  one 
a  most  important  detail   in  advertising 

^^"^^  agency  service.  Some  advertising 
companies  regard  this  feature  as  so  important 
that  really  nothing  else  in  the  v^ay  of  service 
is  rendered  to  the  advertiser.  We  lay  great 
stress  on  the  value  of  copy — Dominant  Idea 
copy  —  copy  that  identifies  advertiser  and 
product — copy  that  helps  make  the  first  sale 
and  thereafter  fortifies  the  quality  back  of  the 
merchandise. 

Copy,  hov^^ever,  v^ith  us  approximates  40 
per  cent  of  our  service.  It  is  undoubtedly  the 
biggest  single  item  in  service  between  adver- 
tising agency  and  advertiser.  The  remaining 
60  per  cent  service  rendered  by  the  Mcjunkin 
Advertising  Company  may  be  briefly  summar- 
ized as  follows: 

(a)  Analyzing  the  market,  sales  conditions, 
trade  conditions. 

(43) 


Folio  F^ortyzfour  Mailer  Merchandising 

(b)  Analyzing  competition  —  its  scope, 
power,  superiority  or  inferiority.  Determining 
with  the  advertiser  and  his  organization  an 
appropriation  over  a  time,  preferably  a  year 
or  more.  This  appropriation  should  be  logic- 
ally determined  on  a  percentage  basis  of  the 
gross  business  done  during  the  current  year, 
together  with  such  objectives  in  the  way  of  in- 
creased business  that  the  advertiser  may  have 
formulated. 

(c)  Division  of  appropriation ;  national  and 
territorial  advertising ;  magazines,  newspapers, 
trade  press,  outdoor  display  if  warranted, 
direct  literature,  jobbers'  and  dealers'  helps, 
local  advertising  service  for  dealers. 

Analy^U  the  Mainspring  of  Ser^dice 

(d)  Analysis  of  media  to  conform  with 
analysis  of  market  in  order  that  publication 
space  may  be  used  that  will  furnish  the  most 
direct  possible  connection  between  manufact- 
urer and  consumer,  with  an  eye  particularly  to 
a  specific  plan  of  helping  the  dealer  so  that 
goods  may  move  from  his  shelves  and  repeat 
orders  may  be  secured. 

(e)  Determination,  with  the  help  of  the  ad- 


The  Dominont  Idea  Kolio  Forty-yi-Ve 

vertiser  and  his  organization,  of  the  "Dominant 
Idea"  to  be  used  in  the  proposed  advertising 
campaign  and  sales  drive,  in  order  that  all 
phases  of  the  manufacturer's  organization  may 
be  vitalized  v^ith  this  identifying  sales  thought. 

(f)  Applying  "Dominant  Idea"  and  master 
merchandising  plans  to  manufacturer's  own 
organization,  distributors  and  dealers,  thor- 
oughly imbuing  all  with  the  right  methods  of 
consumer  appeal. 

(g)  Assisting  the  manufacturer's  organ- 
ization by  regular  conferences  with  his  selling 
organization,  so  that  no  important  phase  of  the 
work  in  hand  may  be  overlooked. 

On  the  Spot  Co-Operatton 

(h)  Attendance  by  a  service  official  of  the 
Mcjunkin  Advertising  Company  at  territorial 
meetings  of  salesmen  or  distributors  or  dealers, 
helping  to  engender  "pep"  among  those  in 
the  trade  handling  the  advertised  products. 

(i)  Preparation  of  dealers'  sales-helps  from 
originating  designs  to  final  execution;  handling 
the  details  of  illustration;  plate  making  and 
printing  on  a  competitive  basis  so  that  the  ad- 


FoUo  Foriy-sijc  Master  Merchandising 


vertiser  may  be  insured  quality  at  a  fair  price. 

(j)  A  close  check-up  on  results  in  order 
that  only  those  publications  and  methods  may 
be  used  that  have  proved  efficient  in  the  actual 
cam.paign,  so  that  from  season  to  season  the 
list  of  media  used  may  be  perfected,  based  as 
far  as  possible  upon  actual  returns.  Of  course, 
in  mail  order  advertising  v^here  copy  is  defi- 
nitely keyed,  this  is  accomplished  through  an 
accurate  record  of  results,  on  a  basis  of  cost  of 
inquiries  and  cost  of  sales.  In  General  Pub- 
licity advertising  where  the  public  service 
factor  is  the  big  consideration,  it  is  only  pos- 
sible to  check  up  definite  results  by  an  analysis 
of  the  effect  of  the  advertising  in  the  different 
publications  on  both  the  consumer  and  dealer. 
This  we  are  able  to  do  through  our  proved 
methods  of  analysis  and  investigation. 

It  is  impracticable  to  set  forth,  however,  all 
of  the  minor  details  in  our  advertising  service, 
but  suffice  it  to  say  that  we  endeavor  by  con- 
structive initiative  to  keep  ahead  of  what  our 
clients  rightly  expect  and  should  demand. 


EXAMPLES 

of 

DOMINANT  IDEA 

cylDVERTISING 

TN  the  following  pages  we  present  ex- 
■^  amples  of  Dominant  Idea  Advertising, 
planned,  prepared  and  placed  by  the  Mc- 
Junkin  Advertising  Company.  These  re- 
productions in  miniature  are  parts  of 
typical  campaigns  and  merely  give  an 
index  to  the  method  of  appeal  in  illustra- 
tions and  main  headlines.  (Obviously  in 
such  small  space  it  is  impossible  to  repro- 
duce complete  text  in  readable  form.) 


(47) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "Shoulders  of  Strength" 


Nothinj;  is  moit-  in  tune  with  tin-  Ani.'rinin  spirit  nf  <  oiist-rvat  ion  tliiin  the 
dominant  idea  f«»r  A.jax  lirrs — Shoulders  of  strenutli.  It  means  more  tread 
«»n   the  roa«l.  more  rnhher   where   needed,  hen<e   more  mileajcf  f«»i*  .vour  investment. 

(49) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      'The   National  Orange  Drink' 


C)ranf>:e-(  rush  is  somi'thinK  more  than  a  drink — tliat  is  tlie  spirit  of  the 
initial  national  campaign  for  this  new  advertiser.  The  advertisin);  so  assoeiates 
the   liquid   with   the   fruit    that    the   new    prodiut    iMManie   s.\  noninioiis    f(»r   oranges. 

(so) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "112%  Reserve  Strength" 


^/AeHUST  TRUCK  WE  BUIU 

fri  jear-  lOaOOO  MUcs  -Working  EveiyD^ 


LOKl^'>Ht,^^^>•.o.ff/•' 


1^ 


IiKlianii  Trnrks  ar«-  Hi',  re^erv*-  streiintli.  ilii*«  i»  .-slahlisli.-,!  I>y  eii^jmeer- 
iiiK  investiKation.  The  liiills  eve  therefore  of  this  eampaiun  i"  tins  more  than 
ample  al»ilit>    to  take  rare  of  normal  transportation   nee«ls. 

(51) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      *'Do  It  Electrically" 


I  tilit.v  and  «M"onom.v,  tli»*  two  m«)sl  «les«'rviii«:  Iniiiseholti  <-omnieri-ial  virtues, 
are  the  mainHprinK  of  Cominoiiwealth-Kdisiin  ef1«»rt.  The  company  not  only 
popularised    its   service    but    inaiie    it    easy    to    procure    lalxtr-savin^    merchandise. 


(52) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "The  Supreme  Test" 

jiiiiiii 


Morris    and    (  ompany 


liav.-    made    the    Supreme    Test,    the    iiisiirame    within 

[heir    own    organization,    of    quality    f .roduets.      }^|"K  /""^  «l»l\''«' J;'';.^^""- 

,umer  influence  meant  at  onee  enthusiasm  throughout  the  Morns  sales  forte. 

(53) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "For  the  Man  Who  Cares" 


Florsheim's 


^..    „    ,  .    t«»n**«stent    institutional    advertisinff    riinnin«:    oontinuoiislV 

national   maKaxines   has  proven   no  small   f a<  t        -        -     - 
Shoe    Co.    has    aime<I 


or  in  their  success.     The  Florsheim 
particularly    at    c«»mplete    identity    of    name    and    product. 


(54) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      ''See  America  First' 


No  Dominant    Idea  lias  had  a   more  striking   proof  of   i(>  fitiit'ss   than   that   of 

"SEE  AMEKICA    TIKST"    for  the  threat    Northern    Kail\va>.  l<lentif.vin);   (ilazier 

National    Park,   this   appeal    l>eeanie   tlie   shi»;an    of   American  travel. 

(55) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:   "The  Most  Valuable  Piano  in  the  World' 


The  Stem 


in  the  world  •  To  .  .^1..^  [  •  '  '"  '^'*'"  "T  ^'*"'"**'  "'♦-  •"•»'^*  valuable  piano 
locical  ami  fVuin,!  i\  .*  *  "*  '*'"^""  "^  *''*■  »«»'"! "ant  Idea  for  Ste^er  xvas 
logual   and   tilti„«:.      Dealers  eo-oi.erated    with    newspaper  advertising. 

(56) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      '*At  Least  a  Quart  of  Milk  per  Day" 


\\  h<M)  Dr.  M<-('iill(»in,  tli«>  «listint;iiiNlie<l  aiit lH>ri(.\  on  nutrition,  said  freryone 
.voung:  or  «>l(l  should  <-onsume  at  least  a  «i<is>''t  of  milk  per  day,  he  turned  the 
spot   lijijriit   on    the   dominant    idea    for  tlie   nation  s   dairy    activities. 

(57) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      ''Americans  Physic" 


PL.UTO  WATER  now  enjoys  a  nutioiial  ilistrihiitioii  and  sale  «lne  to  a  sane 
method  of  merchandisin)!;,  backed  by  advertisinKr  that  never  departed  from  rules 
of  foree  an«l   simplieity.     Pluto  is   jjiven  a  settinn  of  optimism. 

(58) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      'The  Cow's  Adopted  Child" 


A  very  tVw  examples  of  a  onmplete  rampai^n — in<linlin«:  calalojf.  ron«.iimer 
and  dealer  follow-up  literature,  advertisements  and  Dominant  I«lea  trade-mark 
design    for    (lie    I'ine    Tree    Milkint;:    Marhine    (  ompan>  . 

(59) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "America's  Smartest  Car" 


It  was  only  natural  tliat  the  Koamer  automobile  slioiiM  he  (alle«l  "America's 
Smartest  Car"  in  the  advertising  lampai^rn  that  int ro«liice«l  so  sueeessfully  what 
«riti<'s    liave   ealle<l    "Tlu-   Anieriean    Kolls-Ko>  «e." 

(60) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "The  Diamond   Point  Shingle" 


^f^^H^  •  ■  :-a 


Homes 


ASPHALT  SHINGLES 
A  or  „  ,  f  f  ^""^  concedea  to  be  the 

T«  "n!, "i;.^, *,J?'J";^,^';,f ^"'». <^"nomy  and  safety 


FLEX-A-TILE  Diamond  Point 

Asphalt  Slab  Shingles 


^"^.  "^''r^^iSPJl.  ^?22ri«  COMPANY 

LFLEX-A-mi. 


•KwBwt 

FLBl- 


l~•^^!„'i?.'*  "ooti^'tu 


IXJ^-TILE 


One  of  the  most  siHressfiil  pio.liuls  of  the  Heppen-Nelson  Hoofinj;  Co.  Ih 
the  Fle\-a-Tile  Diamond  I'oint  Asphalt  Shib  Shinjjle.  This  identity  expressed 
in   the  advertisini;  had  a   heneHeial   eflle«t   on   the  <onsumer. 

(61) 


DOMINANT  IDEA 


The  National  Park  Line" 


"The  Niilioiial  I'aik  l.iin'"  l><»  unu-  lli«>  Dominant  Idea  for  t\n-  liiiilinfiton 
Koiite  l»e<ans«'  all  (In-  National  I'aikx  «»l  lh<'  U  «'s<  and  Noilh\v»'>t  were  available 
ov«'r    this    railr«»a»l.       Tin-    Uurlinuton    is    1  he    r«M  oyni/ed    road    to    Natation     Land. 

(62) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      *The  Extra  Tested  Tire" 


Kacine    Tire    advertiMini^    ha?<    carried    with    it    the    identity  of    Kxtra    Tented. 

This   is   essentially    a   eonsiimer   service   appeal,    breathing   the  spirit    of    quality 

merchandise.      It   applies   with   equal    force  to    fabric   and    cord  tires. 

(63) 


DOMINANT  IDEA 


The  Three  Staffs  of  Life' 


There  is  no  lietter  test  <»f  food  advert isin«:  than  the  palate's  an>\ver.  The 
^  irginia  Sweet  eampaign  even  in  miniature  arouses  instant  anticipation  of  a 
complete    breakfast.      Identity    of   produ<'t    is    the    first    jfoal    «>f    tliis    campaign. 

(64) 


DOMINANT  IDEA:      "The  Truck  of  Proved  Units'* 


AC.MK — the  (riuk  of  proved  units,  «lemonNtrates  that  A(  MK  aiitiripated  th« 
rrying  iummI  for  staiulardiy.ation  hni«:  liefore  it  lnN-ame  a  national  necessity. 
ACME  has   set    its  own  e\|>erienied    standard    for   proved   units. 

(6») 


DOMINANT  IDEA:     "The  Coat  with  Lungs" 


CLOTHINa /  SeCQIALTIES 

KilifiG  BI*os:  S  Co.  Inc.  Chicaoo 


We  have  all  wanted  an  overroat  "with  liinns"  Ixit  sucli  an  arth-le  of  wear 
and  cnnvenlenre  never  was  presented  until  Klin^  Itrothers  developeil  it.  The 
name  AlK-IN    was  a  loKical  ehoiee,  with   an   immediate  consumer  appeal. 

(66) 


McJUNKIN     ADVERTISING     COMPANY 

CHICAGO 

5  South  Wabash  Avenue  telephone 

AT  MADISON  Street  Randolph    iio 

NEW    YORK 

501  Fifth  Avenue  telephone 

at    42ND    STREET  MURRAY    HiLL    1725 

CLEVELAND 

715   Prospect  Avenue  telephone 

NEAR  East  Eighth  St,  Main   6222 


